On matters concerning enforcement of road safety rules and reminding drivers about the importance of observing traffic laws, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and many other private organizations have always been consistent in the performance of their duties. Thus, no matter what type of vehicle an individual drives, there is a corresponding program that is aimed at providing the necessary and helpful information on road safety that drivers need to, and should, know.

It may sound ridiculous, however, how, according to one old story, two cars eventually collided with each other, thinking that this collision happened way back in the late 1800s; but much more ridiculous than the date is the circumstance surrounding the collision as the story says that, at that time, only four cars were registered in the whole of the United States. Was the accident due to driver error, automobile defect, or something else? Well, one can only guess. One fact is obvious, though, that road accidents, more than 90% of which are due to human error, are nothing more than products of someone’s negligence or recklessness, whether this someone is a driver or someone else whose work involves safety on the road.

Vehicular accidents occur due either to factors that can be controlled by the driver or factors that drivers have no control of. According to the NHTSA, driver-controlled factors include drunk driving, driver error, speeding, driver distractions and reckless driving. Factors which drivers cannot control, on the other hand, include a defective car, a defective car part, and poorly constructed or damaged road. While drivers and manufacturers can easily be held accountable for accidents that occur due to their negligence, is this the same where a government agency is the one at fault, say, due to roads and highways that are poorly constructed and never maintained?

Getting injured in an accident is the most likely result when a driver fails to notice a pothole, an uneven road surface, slippery road debris, and other road hazards that can cause a driver to lose control of his or her vehicle.

Many government agencies have immunity from lawsuits, except if the basis of the lawsuit is, say, gross negligence in maintaining a roadway. Due to this immunity, many people ask personal injury lawyers for ways that they can form arguments that are logical and strong enough to merit the accident victim the compensation that he or she may be deemed worthy (by the court) to receive.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls, more commonly known as PCBs, are a class of man-made chemical that has previously been used in industrial production process and in the manufacturing of herbicides by agricultural companies such as Monsanto. PCBs are known to pose serious health risks to those exposed, including respiratory issues, organ failure, cancer, and neurological conditions. Additionally, those exposed by either direct contact, ingestion, or inhalation may develop an acne-like skin rash known as chloracne.

Chloracne is the acne like eruption of blackheads, cysts, and pustules on the skin caused by over-exposure to chloracnegens, a group of halogenated aromatic compounds including PCBs. The condition is oven irritating or even painful, and is most common on the cheeks, behind the ears, under the armpits, and in the groin area.

PCBs are fat soluble, and remain in the body for an extended period of time. Consequently, reactions to PCBs may persist long after exposure to the toxin ends. Although chloracne may be treated with the use of oral antibiotics, it is often highly resistant to any form of treatment.

The condition was first discovered in German Industrial workers in 1897, and affected 226 workers when a container of herbicide exploded at a Monsanto Plant in Virginia.

Use of toxic Monsanto PCBs in industrial or chemical manufacturing processes was banned in 1978 once the dangers of the toxin were discovered. However, Monsanto products manufactured before this date continue to dump toxic contaminants into the air and the environment.

Although chloracne in itself is not life-threatening, it is a signal that the individual may have been exposed to PCBs, which are known to be linked with a number of more serious health complications. It is always important to know the risks associated with PCB exposure and monitor associated symptoms.

Lawyers put in a lot of hours to earn a degree, but that’s not an automatic pass to being able to assist you in your specific problem. This article will help you find the right lawyer for your individual situation. You will not regret that you did.

Always get a lawyer’s history prior to signing up with their practice. Licensing doesn’t mean they’re good at what they do. Be sure that you go over his past carefully so that you’re able to determine how well he does his job. Many lawyers like the ones at Abel Law Firm offer their histories and some biographical information online.

Find out all that you can about lawyers that you are interested in. What sorts of legal organizations do they belong to, for example? Bar organizations often help to keep their members informed of the very lastest in legal news. You want a lawyer who stays abreast of current legal trends!

A great tip if you’re thinking about hiring a lawyer is to make sure the lawyer you select answers all of the questions that you have. You don’t want to pick a lawyer who can’t give you a straight answer because you’ll be left in the dark and won’t know what’s going on.

Ask your friends and family for referrals if you are looking for a great lawyer. Others that have had legal issues know how critical a good lawyer can be and will be best able to lead you in the right direction. Get a few recommendations and then do your own research from there.

Never hesitate to ask your lawyer about any part of the fees you do not understand. There are many people that have issues with the fees they are charged by an attorney, but many of them do not say anything. There is a chance that you can do some of the work yourself and save a little, so make sure to ask about that.

As mentioned earlier in this article, not every lawyer will fit every person’s specific legal needs. However, it will be easier to find a lawyer for the specific problem you have when you know about each lawyer’s specialty. Consider the advice found in this piece, and go forward confidently!

The brain is probably the most important and at the same time the most delicate structure of the body. As such, it is especially important to ensure that it is protected at all times. Unfortunately, car accidents and similar events can result in traumatic brain injuries that may have long-lasting and life-changing effects. There are different types of traumatic brain injuries that may happen in an accident.

Traumatic brain injuries are characterized by damage to brain tissue due to some type of physical force or violent motion. They can manifest as a short or long period of unconsciousness, memory loss, headaches or disorientation. There are three basic types of traumatic brain injuries: closed, open and acquired.

Closed traumatic brain injuries

When there is a sudden deceleration of enough force, the brain may “bounce” around the inside of the skull, stretching or twisting the brain tissue and injuring or tearing nerve endings. There is no apparent injury on the outside, but the effects can be debilitating. Damage is not usually confined to one area but is diffuse, so it is not easy to predict the outcome of such injuries.

Open traumatic brain injuries

When a foreign object penetrates through the skull into the brain, this is called an open injury. An example would be a gunshot wound to the head where the bullet lodges in the brain. The damage is often localized, and because of this, it is easier to predict the effects of the injury.

Acquired brain injury (ABI)

This type of injury often results when the brain bleeds, swells or experiences cell death due to lack of oxygen. The physical force is not the actual cause of ABI, but rather as the secondary effect of the impact. For example, in an accident where the car goes into the water and the driver drowns but is resuscitated, the lack of oxygen to the brain prior to resuscitation can result in permanent disability due to ABI.

Traumatic brain injuries can change a life forever. If you or someone you know sustains traumatic brain injuries because of the negligence of others, you may be able to get compensation for the victim. Consult with a Champaign accident attorney to help you accomplish this successfully.

It is quite surprising to know that the number of dog bite cases in the US every year reaches 800,000 and that those who are usually bitten are children. Majority of dob bite victims are boys aged five to nine; some children, aged four or younger also suffer bites which often lead to trauma as these bites are commonly on the neck or head. Children are very trusting, so dogs don’t seem that dangerous to them. On the other hand, children are small and don’t exert as much dominance over the animals as adults do, meaning the animals may not respect them as much as they should.

Dogs are supposed to be man’s best friend; these are loving creatures with which owners easily develop a special bond. There are some breeds of dogs, however, which are naturally more hostile compared to others, thus, these become easily threatened even before the people who own them.

Some dog bites may only be minor; but there certainly are serious ones which can inflict severe harm, whether physically, psychologically or both. A few of the severe consequences of dog bites include lacerations, nerve damage, disfigurement and paralysis, broken bones and infections; some bites would even require reconstructive surgery as treatment. Psychologically, a dog attack can cause a fear of dogs in the victim, which can have an impact that persists long after the physical wounds have healed.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has never ceased in its information drive that would inform owners of their great responsibility in making sure that their dogs never get to bite or attack anyone. Everyone has to realize that a dog bite or attack, even if the injury it causes is just minor, can still result to unexpected medical cost and absence from work, which means loss of income.

To emphasize CDC’s campaign, the Leash law has been imposed all across the US. All states also hold all dog owners fully liable for any injury or harm caused by their dog. However, in instances wherein a dog bites or attacks anyone due to illegal entry into one’s property or because the dog was incited, liability is lifted from the owner of the dog.

Letting your dog roam freely because it is totally domesticated can never be accepted as an excuse if it ends up biting or attacking anyone. And since it would be hard to predict the extent of harm a dog’s bite may inflict, the safest thing to do, at all times, is to observe CDC’s stipulations and make sure that your dog is restricted from harming anyone.

Concerns over workplace safety continue to arise after an explosion last month at Union Mills Co-op in Indiana killed one person and injured two others. Although Indiana’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the possible causes of the explosion, records indicate the OSHA had never inspected the facility before the accident.

67-year-old employee James Swank was working on top of a tower when a large quantity of grain dust exploded and caused him to fall 175 feet to the ground. Grain dust is an incredibly volatile material, especially when sealed in a concrete silo, and can react to even a small spark according to Purdue University farm safety expert Steve Wettschurack.

The June 24 explosion occurred just days after a man in Veedersburg, Indiana suffocated in a grain bin. According to a recent report from Purdue University, suffocation is the most common cause of death at grain storage areas; 21 people died in 2010 after being sucked under the unstable grain. Explosions have also caused untold injury and death. In the past 35 years, OSHA reports more than 180 people have died and 675 have been injured in grain bin explosions.

Funds have dried up for OSHA, forcing a reduction in the number of inspections at grain facilities around the country to one every 99 years. The number has dropped for other workplaces as well–in 2010, there were 4,500 preventable workplace deaths. According to the website of The Benton Law Firm, the U.S. legal system states that any party or person that is responsible for the explosion may be due to pay compensation to cover any medical bills, lost wages, or other relevant costs. If you live in East Texas, your best option would be to contact a Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney today to learn more about your options.